Bonny M | May 19, 2026
Some artists grow into music slowly. For Lahde, music seemed to arrive almost instinctively, long before she fully understood what it meant to become an artist. Born in Nigeria and raised in Rexdale, Toronto, the Nigerian-Canadian singer, songwriter, and creative grew up surrounded by sound, rhythm, emotion, and culture from every direction. At only 24 years old, Lahde already carries the presence of an artist deeply connected to both her identity and her imagination, someone equally inspired by music, fashion, design, beauty, and emotional storytelling.
Her relationship with music began almost as early as memory itself. At four years old, while other children sang nursery rhymes at daycare talent shows, Lahde stood up and performed Rihanna’s “Take a Bow,” memorising every lyric simply from hearing it played around her. That moment became the first sign of something larger quietly unfolding. Music remained constant throughout her childhood, shaped by everything from pop icons like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Katy Perry to the Nigerian artists her father filled their home with every weekend. Wizkid, Psquare, Davido, and 9ice became part of the soundtrack of her upbringing, blending seamlessly with the R&B, alternative, trap soul, and UK sounds she would later discover on her own.
What makes Lahde’s artistry feel so distinct today is the way she naturally merges all of those worlds together. She describes her sound as “Afrofuture” or “Afroflip”, a layered fusion of African sonic influences, futuristic production, ambient textures, alternative R&B, pop melodies, and emotionally immersive storytelling. Rather than limiting herself to one genre, Lahde creates music that feels fluid, cinematic, and intentionally experimental. Her songs are built through vocal layering, harmonies, melodic textures, and emotional detail, creating music that feels both deeply personal and globally inspired.
For Lahde, this genre-blending approach is not about chasing trends, it is about reflecting the complexity of who she is. Growing up between cultures allowed her to absorb different creative languages at once, and Afrofuture gives her the freedom to express all of them without restriction. There is nostalgia in her music, but also modernity. There is softness, vulnerability, confidence, and experimentation existing side by side. It is emotional music that still feels bold and forward-thinking.
That emotional honesty comes through beautifully in her upcoming single, “Your Love.” Inspired by a real-life experience of unexpectedly falling for someone, the song captures the chaos, excitement, restraint, and vulnerability that comes with intense attraction. Inspired creatively by Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love,” Lahde wanted to reinterpret that emotional energy through her own lens while incorporating African influences into the production and storytelling. Produced by BPZY, the track merges Amapiano-inspired elements with familiar North American drum patterns, creating a sound that feels both nostalgic and futuristic at the same time.
What gives the song its emotional weight, however, is not only the production but the honesty behind it. Lahde speaks openly about wanting the song to capture the softness people often try to hide. In a time where detachment is often glorified, “Your Love” embraces emotional openness without losing confidence. It explores what it means to genuinely feel something deeply while still trying to protect yourself emotionally. As she jokingly puts it, “baddies have feelings too.”
The song also became a moment of creative growth. Working alongside songwriter Curtis Richardson allowed Lahde to expand the storytelling within the record, refining lyrics and exploring emotional nuance in ways she had not experienced before. Even though the relationship that inspired the song did not last, the emotion behind it remained real enough to become art, and for Lahde, that honesty is what matters most.
For Lahde, music has always functioned as more than entertainment. It is a form of emotional processing, self-expression, and reflection. Many of her songs are deeply personal, inspired by real relationships, emotions, memories, and experiences that she quietly transforms into melodies and lyrics. While she never reveals identities directly, she admits that her music often contains emotional clues and hidden details, almost like diary entries disguised as songs.
Outside of music, Lahde’s creativity continues into every part of her life. She speaks passionately about fashion, interiors, painting, movement, and design, seeing beauty and environment as extensions of personal identity. Whether she is roller skating, travelling, reading, going to Pilates, or designing creative concepts, her artistic mind never truly switches off. Even her songwriting process feels deeply connected to movement and spontaneity. Many of her ideas come while travelling, walking, or heading to the studio, where emotions feel freshest and most instinctive.
As her artistry evolves, Lahde remains grounded in authenticity by consistently writing from genuine emotion. No matter how experimental the production becomes, the emotional core always comes from real experiences and honest feelings. That balance between vulnerability and innovation has become one of the defining qualities of her work. Her music feels layered not only sonically, but emotionally too, filled with hidden meanings, callbacks, harmonies, and details listeners continue discovering with every replay.
One of the moments that shifted her perspective most as an artist happened after a live performance earlier this year. A young girl, no older than fourteen, approached her afterward with overwhelming excitement, proudly collecting merchandise and expressing how deeply she connected with the music and performance. For Lahde, that interaction became bigger than a compliment. It reminded her of what it felt like growing up admiring artists herself and made her more intentional about the impact she hopes to leave behind, particularly for young girls learning to navigate confidence, creativity, and self-worth.
That sense of intention continues shaping the next phase of her career. This year, Lahde describes her vision as deeply visual and immersive, with a stronger focus on performances, music videos, creative direction, and world-building around the music itself. She is currently preparing a new project that expands her evolving Afroflip and Afrofuture sound into something even more layered, emotional, and experimental than before.
Still, beneath all the ambition and artistic evolution, Lahde remains deeply connected to the journey itself. Raised in Rexdale without industry connections or shortcuts, she built her artistry slowly through discipline, education, creativity, and consistency. Rather than chasing overnight success, she is focused on creating something lasting and meaningful, something rooted in honesty, emotional connection, and artistic freedom.
If someone discovers Lahde for the very first time through her music, she hopes they leave feeling inspired not only by the sound, but by the story behind it. A story about trusting your creativity, embracing every part of who you are, and building something beautiful through patience, passion, and belief in yourself. For Lahde, music has never simply been about making songs, it has always been about creating entire emotional worlds people can feel themselves inside.